Solid-state　cooling　technology　based　on　the　electrocaloric　(EC)　effect　is　attracting　increasing　attention　as　an　important　alternative　for　traditional　cooling　systems　because　of　its　advantages　of　high　efficiency,　environmental　friendliness,　light　weight,　low　cost,　and　easy　miniaturization.　Ferroelectric　materials　are　suitable　candidates　for　EC　refrigeration　due　to　their　large　polarization　and　entropy　change　through　applying　or　removing　an　external　electric　field.　Recently,　study　on　the　EC　effect　of　lead-free　bulk　ceramics　has　become　one　of　hot　topics　on　ferroelectric　community　due　to　the　requirements　of　sustainable　development.　In　this　review,　we　firstly　introduce　the　significant　history　events　in　EC　research　and　the　basic　principles　of　EC　refrigeration.　Then,　design　strategy　for　achieving　a　large　EC　temperature　change　near　room　temperature　and　a　wide　using　range　is　summarized.　Subsequently,　we　systematically　review　the　research　status　of　EC　effect　in　BaTiO3-based,　Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-based　and　K0.5Na0.5NbO3-based　lead-free　bulk　ceramics　and　discuss　their　advantages　as　well　as　challenges.　Finally,　we　propose　some　prospects　for　the　future　work　on　EC　effect　in　lead-free　bulk　ceramics.　©　2020,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.